Organ donor bill stirs controversy

Two Denver Democrats have introduced a bill designed to boost the number of organ donors in Colorado, but a donor group fears the opposite effect.
Under Senate Bill 42 from Sen. Lucia Guzman and Rep. Dan Pabon, anyone with a Colorado driver’s license or ID card is presumed to be an organ donor unless the person initials a statement opting out of the program. Currently, a person must initial their ID card to be considered a donor.

Guzman is meeting Thursday with bill opponents, including the Donor Alliance, which is concerned that such a major policy shift could have the unintended consequence of actually diminishing the numbers of organs available for transplant.

“At the close of 2010, Colorado had the highest performing state donor registry in the United States with 66 percent of licensed drivers/id holders saying ‘yes’ to electively being an organ and tissue donor,” alliance lobbyist Ruth Aponte said. “Since 2009, Colorado has led the nation in registry rates.”

She said before the state moves from a successful system to an unproven one, “an in-depth conversation with many stakeholders is needed – ethical, legal, religious and diverse communities, along with transplant centers and donor hospitals before bringing a bill forward.”

Guzman said constituents suggested the bill and she herself watched a friend die while waiting for a kidney.

“We totally appreciate and respect Sen. Guzman’s intent with the bill,” Aponte said. “She and Donor Alliance share the same goal: to increase organ and tissue donation and save and improve lives.”

Next up- the Abortion Bill amendment- A women will have her pregnancy considered to be aborted unless she signs a statement opting out of the abortion program.

Hey, it’s just the natural progressivism they want…

The Mr Wolf

Next up- the Abortion Bill amendment- A women will have her pregnancy considered to be aborted unless she signs a statement opting out of the abortion program.

Hey, it’s just the natural progressivism they want…

Ert

I don’t agree with the bill. Organ donation is a very personal decision. For some, donating organs goes against religious principles. I think someone should make a conscious decision for this, not automatically “enrolled”.

Ert

I don’t agree with the bill. Organ donation is a very personal decision. For some, donating organs goes against religious principles. I think someone should make a conscious decision for this, not automatically “enrolled”.

Jteldb

When they quit screwing the recipient then i will donate.

Jteldb

When they quit screwing the recipient then i will donate.

Henry

I am an organ donor, I have been for 40 years. If Guzman’s plan is adopted, I will opt opt out. The first case it is my choice. Under her plan I have no choice.

It is a matter of free will and personal liberty.

Henry

I am an organ donor, I have been for 40 years. If Guzman’s plan is adopted, I will opt opt out. The first case it is my choice. Under her plan I have no choice.

It is a matter of free will and personal liberty.

Informed consent

Coming from a family member whose father’s body was illegally harvested, stolen and sold to Michael Mastromarino from the funeral home, and my father in no way being a candidate for donation, all I can say is INFORMED CONSENT. My family and our dad had that right stolen. There are many problems with this proposed legislation, but let me just start by saying in no way are the people at the division of motor vehicle qualifed to answer the questions about organ donation. Do you know that tissue is an organ? Do you know that when they stole my father’s body, they skinned him before cutting him up piece by piece and then selling his diseased parts (tissue and bone) to hospitals who then put those diseased parts in people. Do you know that when you say yes to organ donation, you are agreeing to donate your tissue, too! Tissue is an organ. Not that organ donation is bad, it saves alot of people, but INFORMED CONSENT, true informed consent, understanding that their tissue can be used for burn victims yes, but also for cosmetic plastic surgery, or when they sell hundreds of legs or ankles to the army to blow them up to test their latest gadgets. Yes the dept of defense is a big purchaser of body parts. So, some clerk at motor vehicle is not qualifed to answer the kinds of questions that would lead to true informed consent, therefore, I do not believe most people understand what they are agreeing to. Maybe they should ask what you would like to donate instead of a broad yes or no, without clearly understanding what that means. Additionally all tissue procurement agencies should not exist (middle men), any organ or tissue harvesting should only be done in a hospital setting, monitored, not in the back of some dirty funeral home like they did to our great dad. And changes need to be made to this industry to stop illegal harvesting and changes must be made to keep organ donation as safe as our blood supply. It is not right now. Just look at Biomedical Tissue whereby upwards of 25,000 possible tainted tissue from stolen, diseased bodies were recalled. Problem, many were already implanted in patients. The families need to know what procedures will be done and what that will look like. No more explaining the procedures as ‘minor’ while the procurement techs are busy taking full thickness skin grafts or lobbing off feet, ears, eye lids, heads, hands, arms, legs, bones, heart muscle, tendons, etc.

Informed consent

Coming from a family member whose father’s body was illegally harvested, stolen and sold to Michael Mastromarino from the funeral home, and my father in no way being a candidate for donation, all I can say is INFORMED CONSENT. My family and our dad had that right stolen. There are many problems with this proposed legislation, but let me just start by saying in no way are the people at the division of motor vehicle qualifed to answer the questions about organ donation. Do you know that tissue is an organ? Do you know that when they stole my father’s body, they skinned him before cutting him up piece by piece and then selling his diseased parts (tissue and bone) to hospitals who then put those diseased parts in people. Do you know that when you say yes to organ donation, you are agreeing to donate your tissue, too! Tissue is an organ. Not that organ donation is bad, it saves alot of people, but INFORMED CONSENT, true informed consent, understanding that their tissue can be used for burn victims yes, but also for cosmetic plastic surgery, or when they sell hundreds of legs or ankles to the army to blow them up to test their latest gadgets. Yes the dept of defense is a big purchaser of body parts. So, some clerk at motor vehicle is not qualifed to answer the kinds of questions that would lead to true informed consent, therefore, I do not believe most people understand what they are agreeing to. Maybe they should ask what you would like to donate instead of a broad yes or no, without clearly understanding what that means. Additionally all tissue procurement agencies should not exist (middle men), any organ or tissue harvesting should only be done in a hospital setting, monitored, not in the back of some dirty funeral home like they did to our great dad. And changes need to be made to this industry to stop illegal harvesting and changes must be made to keep organ donation as safe as our blood supply. It is not right now. Just look at Biomedical Tissue whereby upwards of 25,000 possible tainted tissue from stolen, diseased bodies were recalled. Problem, many were already implanted in patients. The families need to know what procedures will be done and what that will look like. No more explaining the procedures as ‘minor’ while the procurement techs are busy taking full thickness skin grafts or lobbing off feet, ears, eye lids, heads, hands, arms, legs, bones, heart muscle, tendons, etc.

Anonymous

If people opt out of donating their organs when they die, those people should also opt out of receiving an organ should they ever need one to live.

Everyone can offer to donate, no matter what their medical condition is. But our transplant system lets people take without giving. It’s no wonder there’s such a large organ shortage. About 10,000 Americans die every year because there aren’t enough organs for everyone who needs one. And every year Americans bury or cremate 20,000 transplantable organs.

There is a simple way to put a big dent in the organ shortage – allocate donated organs first to people who have agreed to donate their own organs when they die.

Anyone who wants to donate their organs to others who have agreed to donate theirs can join LifeSharers. LifeSharers is a non-profit network of organ donors who agree to offer their organs first to other organ donors when they die. Membership is free at http://www.lifesharers.org or by calling 1-888-ORGAN88. There is no age limit, parents can enroll their minor children, and no one is excluded due to any pre-existing medical condition.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.